Ghost Hunt
by chilled monkey
Summary: Kyoko investigates reports of a ghost haunting her school.


**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kyo Kara Ore Wa, Kanazuki no Miko or any of the characters from either series. This is a work of fanfiction. No profit is being made from it.

**Author's Note:** Akane, Rei and Yumi are Kyoko's friends that appear in episode 4 of the OVA series. In the episode none of them are named so I've decided to give them names. For the purpose of this fanfic, Rei is the blond girl, Yumi is the short-haired girl and Akane is the girl with a bow in her hair.

**Author's Note 2: **A hitodama in Japanese folklore is the spirit of a dead person manifested as a blue fireball.

**Author's Note 3:** The "Himemiya-san" Kyoko mentions is indeed Himemiya Chikane from "Kannazuki no Miko." As she's only mentioned and doesn't actually appear I don't consider this a "true" crossover.

* * *

The bell rang, signalling the end of classes for the day at Seiran Girls High School. The doors opened and the corridors filled with female students, many of them talking and gossiping with each other.

Akane sighed with relief as she and her friends, Kyoko, Rei and Yumi left their classroom and walked down the corridor. "I'm so glad that's over" she said. "That test was a killer."

"Tell me about it" agreed Rei. "How did you find it Kyoko?"

She laughed lightly. "It was difficult but I think I did all right."

Rei shrugged. "Yeah, I guess I did okay too."

"I'm sure that we all did" she said reassuringly.

"Let's forget about that now and talk about something else" said Akane. "Hey Kyoko, what was that concert you and Ito-san went to like?"

"It was very nice" she said. "Himemiya-san is an excellent pianist. Her music is so beautiful and soothing to listen to."

"Wow, I'm so jealous" said Rei but her smile and tone of voice showed that she didn't mean it and was in truth very glad that her friend had had such a good time. Kyoko laughed.

As they exited the school and walked across the pathway Kyoko noticed that Yumi seemed oddly sullen and downcast as though something was weighing on her mind.

"Is something wrong Yumi?" she asked gently. "You're so quiet."

She hesitated a moment before saying, "have you heard the rumours going around school lately? About a ghost that prowls the corridors of our school at night?"

Her friends all nodded. "What about them?" Akane asked.

"Well for the last few nights there have been strange noises and lights coming from the student council meeting room."

"It's not just there either" said Rei. "I've heard rumours about strange things happening in the library, the music room, all over the school in fact. Weird noises, voices, lights, things like that."

"That's right. Anyway, the council president slept over last night to try and find out what it was but nothing happened. She caught a cold and couldn't come today so she called me and asked me to investigate it for her."

They all stopped walking and stood between the trees on either side of the entrance. Kyoko, Akane and Rei stared at Yumi in surprise.

"So you're going to stake out the school tonight?" asked Akane.

"Yes" she replied nervously. "I'm a little scared but I don't want to disappoint the president."

Kyoko put a hand on her arm reassuringly. "Would you like me to come with you tonight?" she asked. "It won't be as bad if there's someone with you."

"Thank you" she answered. "Are you sure you're okay with it?"

"I'm sure" she said kindly. "Don't worry, we'll find out what's going on here."

* * *

That night the two of them stood in front of the entrance to the school. Yumi couldn't help but shiver as she looked at the shadowed building in front of them. In the darkness it looked unfamiliar and menacing. The spiked railings glinted faintly, making her think of teeth about to bite down on them.

Kyoko took her hand and held it in a firm but gentle grip. "Don't be scared Yumi" she said comfortingly. "This is our school, the same school that we go to nearly every day. It doesn't become a different place just because it's dark now."

"I know but…"

In the distance a bird cawed and she jumped in fear. "What was that?"

"Just a bird" said Kyoko. "Come on let's go."

As soon as the two girls had entered the building Kyoko switched on a flashlight and ran the beam of light over the walls and floor in front of them. Satisfied that there was nothing there she headed down the corridor, Yumi still holding her hand.

"Should we try the council meeting room first?" Yumi wondered.

"That's the furthest away from us" Kyoko replied. "Let's work our way through the school room by room."

"Good idea."

* * *

They soon came to a door. Kyoko put her ear to the cool, wooden surface and listened for a moment before pushing it open.

The room was filled with benches and one wall was lined with cupboards. Through the glass doors they could see jars and bottles.

Yumi gasped and pointed. "There's something in the corner!"

She aimed her flashlight and the beam revealed a grinning bone-white face with empty eye sockets. Yumi screamed in fright and started to run but Kyoko put her arm in front of her.

"Calm down Yumi. Look, it's only a model skeleton" she said.

Her friend's panic faded and she looked to see that it was indeed just a model. "Oh sorry" she said sheepishly.

"Its okay" Kyoko replied with a smile. She looked around the room for a moment, running her flashlight over the benches and cupboards. "Well there's nothing strange going on around here so let's check the rest of the school."

"Okay."

As they left Yumi didn't notice her friend glance suspiciously at one of the cupboards for a moment.

* * *

They quickly proceeded to inspect all the areas where 'ghostly activity' was said to have occurred. The gym was quiet, as was the library. The only other incident that occurred was when they inspected the music room and Yumi was momentarily startled by a bust of Mozart. This time however she didn't try to run away.

"Very good Yumi" her friend congratulated her. "You're starting to not be afraid anymore."

"Only thanks to you" she replied. "If I'd have been here alone I'd have fled home by now."

"You're welcome. Okay, now let's check the council meeting room. It's the last one left."

They left the music room and once more walked through the darkened corridors of the school. Kyoko was glad that her friend now seemed less afraid and was no longer gripping her hand.

But as they approached the door to the council meeting room Yumi again seized her hand, even firmer than before. "K, Kyo…" she said fearfully, trembling as she spoke.

She sighed patiently. "Yumi…"

"Something's here" she interrupted. "I know there's something here with us."

Just then two orbs of flickering blue flame appeared in front of them, floating in mid-air. Yumi threw her hands up and screamed.

"H, hitodama" she managed to get out, pointing at the blue fireballs with a shaking finger.

Kyoko frowned but before she could reply a floorboard creaked and something lurched around a corner. She raised her flashlight to get a better look at it.

Shambling towards them was a form wrapped in a white shroud with long ragged grey hair. Its face was a sickly grey-white colour and its eyes were a blank white with no iris or pupil. It hissed at them, displaying blackened rotten teeth as it reached out in front of it.

Yumi screamed again. "A ghost! It's a ghost! Run!"

But Kyoko stood where she was and her fingers closed around her friend's wrist to prevent her from fleeing. "Stop, Yumi" she said firmly.

"But…"

Abruptly she let go of her wrist and boldly strode towards the ghost. Yumi watched in amazement as Kyoko faced the apparition.

"That's enough!"

The ghost froze in place, the anger on its features replaced by a look of surprise. Kyoko's hands shot out and seized the front of its shroud.

"You're no ghost!"

She shone her flashlight over at the blue fireballs. Now they could see that each was suspended by a wire that led to a fishing rod. The rods were being held by two girls that she recognised as Seiran High students. She took a closer look at the 'ghost' and recognised her too.

"What's going on here Sakuma-san?"

She giggled nervously and then removed first her contact lenses and then the prosthetic rotten teeth so that she could speak. "Oh. Hello Hayagawa-san. We were um, just playing a little joke."

"Let me guess" said Kyoko in a dangerously quiet voice. "You started the rumours about the ghost so that the council president would send Yumi to investigate and you would scare her, is that it?" As she spoke she glared directly at Sakuma.

"Yes" she squeaked, unable to look her in the eye. "My brother goes to Beni High. He told me how Imai-san pulled the same trick on Mitsuhashi-san. That's where I got the idea."

"And you stole some of the copper oxide samples from the science lab to make those blue flames didn't you?"

"Yes."

Kyoko finally released Sakuma but continued to glare at her. "All right I won't tell the teachers about this but you had better not try anything like this again understand?"

"Yes Hayagawa-san" she replied with an enthusiastic nod.

"Very good" she said. Her glare faded and she turned to her friend with a smile. "Come on Yumi let's go."

"How did you know it wasn't a ghost?" Yumi asked as they walked off.

"Simple, a ghost wouldn't make a floorboard creak" she replied.

* * *

The next day Akane and Rei met them at the school entrance.

"So what happened? Did you see the ghost?" Rei asked.

Kyoko giggled. "We'll tell you everything in the cafeteria."

After morning classes they met up again, just as they had arranged. Akane and Rei listened eagerly as their friends told them the whole story.

"Kyoko was awesome" said Yumi, grinning happily at the other girl. "She wasn't afraid at all."

"Just like when she stood up to those punks" said Akane.

"That's right." Yumi held up her juice carton. "To Kyoko, our friend and inspiration" she said.

Akane and Rei also raised their drinks. "To Kyoko" they repeated as they all tapped cartons together.

A faint blush tinted her cheeks. "Stop, you're embarrassing me" she laughed.

"Seriously though, I'm very glad to be your friend" Yumi replied. Akane and Rei nodded in agreement.

She smiled warmly. "Thanks everyone."


End file.
